TARRYTOWN, N.Y. – A new visual quality panel will provide input on design features of the new Tappan Zee Bridge, the New York State Thruway Authority announced Friday.

“Along with expanding mass transit, a central goal of this project is to give the people of Westchester and Rockland Counties, as well as the entire Hudson Valley, a bridge they can be proud of,” Thruway Authority Chairman Howard P. Milstein said.

“The Visual Quality Panel will give the public a direct line to the design team," he added. "Their recommendations will help us make informed decisions about what options on the bridge are best for the surrounding communities.”

The panel includes 16 representatives from the state, the design-build team and Tarrytown. David Aukland, chair of the Tarrytown Planning Board, will serve on the panel with Tarrytown residents Elma Reingold and Tori Weisel. Reingold is the assistant principal of the High School of Art and Design in New York City. Weisel is president of the Irving Neighborhood Association.

The panel will guide design of the bridge's shared-use path, landscaping, art, historical installations and lighting through regular meetings beginning this month.